Rick Perry's "Gardasil" exec order connection - Wife lobbied for Merck

That’s merely a dodge because doctors who know more about cancer than Governor Perry opposed his order requiring every girl to take a brand new vaccine without a long safety record. The pro-family Texas Eagle Forum called it ‘ follow the money ‘ politics. And why wouldn’t they when the vaccine maker, Merck, which stood to mint money if Governor Perry made every Texas girl buy their product, gave Perry a campaign contribution the very day his staffers were meeting to plan the vaccine mandate?

When Mr. Perry signed an ill-fated executive order in 2007 requiring all sixth-grade girls to receive a vaccine to prevent the human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted disease linked to cervical cancer, observers pointed to her influence. After outrage from all quarters — social conservatives argued it encouraged teenage sex, while ethics watchdogs questioned a former Perry staff member’s work as a lobbyist for the vaccine maker, Merck — lawmakers voted to block it.

Also, a spokesman indicated that first lady Anita Perry’s strong support for the vaccine may have played a role in the governor’s decision. A former nurse and the daughter of a doctor, Anita Perry works for an organization dealing with sexual assaults. “I know they have discussed it, and it’s something they both feel very strongly about,” said Press Secretary Robert Black. But some who oppose the bill have suggested that a political contribution from the vaccine-maker influenced his decision. Perry’s office said it would cost the state $29 million for its share of inoculating students who are uninsured or on government programs. Federal funds will be available for girls on Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Private insurers are expected to pick up most of the $360 cost of the three-shot series.

the latest state mandate is the meningococcal vaccine, officially known as the Jamie Schanbaum and Nicolis Williams Act.

This is not the first time that Perry has signed a mandatory vaccine into law. In 2006, the HPV vaccine was signed by Perry as an executive mandate that all Texas public school girls be vaccinated in order to protect them from cervical cancer. The mandate was met with heavy criticism and contempt. Aside from the fact that Merck, the manufacturer of the vaccine, gave Perry a $6,000 campaign contribution, Merck’s lobbyist Mike Toomey was Perry’s former Chief of Staff. It doesn’t require a college degree to connect the dots.

Phone calls from mothers with children who have experienced adverse events after HPV vaccination is part of the everyday routine for members of the SANE Vax team. This one was different. A sexually naïve 13 year old girl from Toronto had developed acute juvenile rheumatoid arthritis within 24 hours after the third Gardasil™ injection. Two years later, her blood was tested by a local clinical laboratory and found to be positive for HPV DNA. Local physicians could provide no explanation. Human papillomavirus is an epithelial virus which does not survive in the blood stream for long. HPV only thrives on skin and mucosal membranes. They could not explain why HPV was in her blood instead of HPV antibodies. Desperate for answers, her mother called SANE Vax to see if there was any research available that might shed some light on her daughter’s situation. Not having any contradictory information available, the SANE Vax team agreed to contact some experts for their professional opinion. Many phone calls and much research later, the only option left was to try to determine whether Gardasil could have been the possible source of HPV in the girl’s blood. Dr. Sin Hang Lee, a pathologist at the Milford Hospital pathology laboratory well-known for using cutting-edge DNA sequencing for molecular diagnoses, was initially contracted to examine a single sample of Gardasil for possible contamination. This sample tested positive for recombinant viral HPV-11 and viral HPV-18 residues, both of which were firmly attached to the aluminum adjuvant.